Al Jolson - “A Broken Doll“ (1916)

“A Broken Doll“ Words by Clifford Harris Music by James W. Tate Sung by Al Jolson Recorded November 22, 1916 Columbia A2154 Clarice Mayne, British music hall singer, was born in London in 1886. She is best known for the song “A Broken Doll“ written by her husband, the composer James W. Tate and lyricist Frank Clifford Harris. The song was also sung by the American stage and vaudeville star, Nora Bayes and recorded just a few days before Al Jolson version presented here. While researching this song, I often noticed “London Taps“ incorporated into the title of this song. Upon further searching, I discovered that the London Taps was a type of fox trot which was the big dance craze in 1916. It seems this dance originated in London in 1916 and was created by British soldiers home on furlough. The new combination of dance steps was commonly done to the tune of “Broken Doll.“ A 1916 newspaper article predicted that it would be the "